Pages

Friday, September 19, 2014

At Long Last ~ My New AFO

After fighting the insurance company for a year, I finally have a new brace. Yesterday, I picked up my new AFO. It's smaller and lighter than my old one. There's also no more lip at the top that always caught on things giving me a rather yucky blood blisters and bruises. It keeps good control of my ankle and foot which wants to invert.

The down side is that I have to get adjust to it. Or actually having the ankle straight. I've been in the old, inadequate one for two years making do. It will take about a week to stretch the muscles and tendons to how they should be. It is different to walk in and I have to retrain myself in walking with it in the proper position. It seems I've forgotten how. The middle strap was added to provide more support because my foot still wanted to roll.

Next up, I go back to the brace maker to adjust my Achilles tendon support. I have managed to stretch it out some so the built up heel can be lowered. to a new position. Yeah! It's finally stretching out to almost normal. The foot is held in check so there is no more pressure on the area that I was getting pressure sores.

4 comments:

Hi Jo - all I can say .. is I admire you for your determination and determined effort to achieve ... well you've got the support and now it's a little while and you'll be that much further on .. muscles stretched etc ..